The Columbia River Crossing has ground to a halt over a wide range of opposition -- it costs too much, encourages more driving and proposes controversial tolls.

But that impasse could become opportunity, at least according to a coalition of environmental groups that this week called for a rethinking of the project. It suggests changes that would make reducing greenhouse gas emissions a priority and would promote affordable public transportation, healthy neighborhoods and economic vitality.

And a reworked design would use least-cost planning principals, since congressional delegations from Oregon and Washington have made clear that the bridge's $4 billion price tag is unrealistic.

"We have been consistently calling for the project to take climate change into account," said Jill Fuglister, co-director of Portland-based Coalition for a Livable Future. "The current plan would end up with a 32 percent increase of greenhouse gas emissions. To know that about the proposal and still make that kind of an investment -- it seems like there's a disconnect.

The Oregon and Washington departments of transportation have proposed a 12-lane bridge to replace the old, six-lane Interstate Bridge. It would include adding a light rail line to downtown Vancouver, improved bicycle access, and the reconstructing six interchanges on both sides of the river. They say those elements address environmentalists' fears that the project would promote sprawl and more driving.

But the project has been beset with controversy.

Environmental organizations and some elected officials criticize it for encouraging more traffic -- and the adding accompanying greenhouse gas emissions -- which puts the project in conflict with the region's commitment to sharply reduce emissions in coming years. Critics also say the plan doesn't put enough emphasis on public transportation, bicycling and pedestrian access.

The crossing's cost and method of funding, which would include tolls, also has opponents.

Oregon and Washington congressional delegations have said the price simply is too high, and state legislators have withheld their support.

The proposal's finances grew even more shaky this week with the election of Tim Leavitt as Vancouver's mayor. Leavitt opposed the tolls during his campaign, and his election showed that voters agreed. But transportation officials from both states say tolls are an essential and non-negotiable requirement of the crossing; Portland Mayor Sam Adams withdrew his support of the plan, saying, "No tolls, no new bridge."

"Clearly, the rewind button on this thing needs to be pushed," Metro President David Bragdon said Friday. "The version of this project that's being pushed by the state highway administrations is not going to happen. It's not going to be funded. We can't make it work."

The project doesn't need to go back to square one, Bragdon said, but its cost should look at a range of performance measures, such as economic development, greenhouse gas emissions and neighborhood impacts. The price tag should be reasonable and achievable, he said.

Fuglister said she hoped leaders would take seriously the chance to make the crossing more environmentally responsible.

"We don't want 'nothing,' " she said. "We do want to see investments in our transportation system. But it's inconsistent that we're going to put a huge portion of our transportation money into something that will make (emissions) worse."